24 Hours Challenge: EX EDITION

VIII. The Call

Gal

Natulala ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko alam kung narinig ko ba 'yon ng tama. My brows slowly met in confusion.

Ako? Paano naging ako?

I thought about it for a few seconds. And that's when it dawned on me...

"Ang kapal mo!" inis kong sabi matapos siyang hampasin sa braso. He only threw his head back while laughing.

"Baka nakakalimutan mo, Claveria na challenge lang 'tong ginagawa natin kaya hindi mo talaga ako girlfriend!"

Parang wala siyang narinig. No, wait. Parang wala siyang pake kung halos sumabog na ako sa inis! Patuloy lang siya sa pagtawa!

"And what did you say?! Hindi mo 'ko makalimutan dahil sa performance ko?! Baliw ka ba? We didn't-"

I stopped when I realized something. Suddenly, flashes of memories crowded my mind. My eyes grew wide and my mouth parted.

No way. Is he... talking about the...

I swallowed hard, unti-unting nararamdaman ang pamumula ng mga pisngi. Napatigil din siya nang makita niya ang ekspresyon kong gulat na gulat. But his lips are forming into a sly grin, though. It's like he already saw it coming. Para bang alam na niya na maaalala ko rin ang ibig niyang sabihin.

"You finally remember? That night on the hood of my car... 'di ba?" he reminded. And of course, I remember it. I remember it all too well!

It was on a Friday night. We decided to go to our favorite spot in the city. We sat on the hood of his car with some takeout burgers and drinks as we watched the city lights. It's a classic high school date night. Yung chill lang. And also, that night, we kissed. And I can't believe it slipped through my mind! 'Yon pala ang ipinapahiwatig niya kanina!

My cheeks turned scarlett red. Because reminiscing it, with him actually sitting beside me, is pretty awkward, alright. I mean, anong mararamdaman mo if you remember something like that while you're with your "ex"? And worse, kayong dalawa pa talaga ang nakaalala!

"W-Whatever, Ike. That was a long time ago," I said, looking down and averting my gaze. Hindi ko siya kayang tingnan. Lalo na't ramdam ko ang pagtitig niya sa'kin.

I heard him sigh.

"Oo. Ang tagal na nga," aniya, tumatango. "Tagal na."

His voice is now low and almost a whisper, like he's lost reminiscing it too.

Ilang taon na ba ang nakalipas? We were very young back then. I was 17, and him, 18. 5 years. It has been 5 years already.

It's those times when you still don't know how "dating" worked. When you have no idea how to handle things. When you're curious about almost anything and so you take your time to explore. Iyon yung mga panahon na akala mo maayos na ang lahat. Like you have already figured out what or who you will be in the future and you're positive that things would last and stay the same. That fate wouldn't take its turn.

And then, you grow up and realize it does. You start to learn things. And I mean, actually learn them. You start to know how the real world works. You start to organize your priorities.

I was so sure of me and Ike years ago. Wala man kaming label, however I was so positive that we would have one, eventually. But maybe, at some point in our lives, we all go through that phase when we realize and accept that things don't really go according to plan.